FUTURE OF CONSERVATION IAF AS A CONSERVATION ORGANISATION TROUGH FALCONRY The International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey represents Every year thousands if not millions of falconry communities and raptor related organisations in 70 countries. FALCONERS birds, many of them raptors and endan- IAF is a member of IUCN and Collaborating Partner to UNEP/CMS Raptors MoU. gered species, are killed because of poorly IAF is recognized as an official advisory NGO to UNESCO. constructed electricity supply structures. Electrocutions are one of most significant IN factors in the decline of the saker falcon. The structures can be built correctly or modi- fied. This issue was considered by the IAF in December 2012 and, to address the issue an CONSERVATION International Data Base of Electrocutions is being managed. Falconers are encouraged to report the electrocution of any raptor. Power companies and local authorities are encoura- ged to address the problem reported. In this way, falconers are addressing a problem and assisting with an international conservation issue.This structure resulted in the death of a falconry bird that landed on the transformer box. The remains of an eagle owl and a steppe 1968 IAF attended the Conference of the European Section of ICBP buzzard were found at the foot of the poles. 1970 IAF at the 15th World Conference of the ICBP Mitigation is simple, involving placing in- sulating sleeves on the three cables leading 1972 At the 10th Conference of the European Section of ICBP, IAF is accorde dits own sepa- down to the transformer box. rate status. A resolution prohibits trade in birds of prey except for “approved purposes” Falconers are involved in conservation 1975 IAF is one of the sponsors ICBP first World Conference on Birds of Prey. Formula- and research projects, such as this one „The tes resolutions to avert an international campaign to ban falconry Urban Ecology of Crowned Eagles in Kwa- Zulu-Natal”, University of KwaZulu-Natal in 1976 IAF cooperates with ICBP in discussions on resolutions concerning trade in wildlife South Africa. 1985 After comments by IAF’s president the world’s largest raptor research conference Here a female crowned eagle prepares to resolved that „contributions of falconers have never been adequately acknowledged” feed a hyrax to its eaglet. Nest cameras are deployed to investigate breeding biology and 1986 IAF is granted observer status in the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention Photo credits and acknowledegements to: diet. The composition of the diet can be tho- at the Council of Europe roughly described and will report aspects of Front: Sam Murphy 1995 IAF sponsors raptor conservation project in Belarus Dr. Adrian Lombard (South Africa) urban ecology, including the impact on urban Petr Zvolanek and Bohumil Straka (Czech Republic) wildlife, livestock and pets. 1996 IAF sponsors project on raptor demography Kazakhstan Noel Hyde and Debbie Stewart (New Zealand) Many similar projects of this kind are run all 1996 IAF helped found the Conservation Action Network in the US Fernando Féas (Spain and South America) over the world by local falconry communities Shane McPherson and Vic Bonsor (Mongolia and South Africa) in close cooperation with ornithologists, con- 1996 IAF becomes a member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Tomislav Cvar (Croatia) servationists, hunters, foresters, farmers, etc. Roy Beers (El Salvador) 1997 IAF’s proposal to CITES of „Falconry passport system” simplifies cross border mo- Dr. Keiya Nakajima and Yukio Asaoka (Japan) vements of trained raptors Simon Tommsett (Kenya) 2000 IAF takes part in the World Conservation Congress in Amman where a resolution Lawrence Formosa (Malta) Bill Heinrich (USA) on sustainable use of wild raptors in falconry is adopted Janusz Sielicki (Poland) 2009 IAF contributed to the specialist meeting in Abu Dhabi on the Conservation of Neil Deacon (Zimbabwe) Simon Thomsett (Kenya) Saker Falcon Dr.Javier Ceballos (Spain) 2011 IAF signs Raptors MoU of UNEP/CMS as Collaborating Partner Organisation The Peregrine Fund Falconers have always been conservationists, Peregrine Project Poland 2012 IAF is represented in the Saker Task Force of UNEP/CMS Raptors MoU Japan Falconiformes Centre protecting the species they fly and the quarry they New Zealand Wingspan Trust hunt. Many have been environmentalistswell ahead of PRESIDENTS OF IAF Mongolian Saker Artificial Nestsite Project their time. Eagle Encounters Rehabilitation, Education and Eco-Tourism of South Africa 1968 Jack Mavrogordato UK Urban Ecology of Crowned Eagles in KwaZulu-Natal 1972 Otto Abensperg-Traun Austria International Raptor Electrocution and Strike of Transmission-lines Project From 1974 to 1997 the falconer-led Peregrine Fund bred and re- 1975 Toni Lutz Switzerland leased more than 4,000 falcons and restored peregrine populations Leaflet produced by the Public Relations Office of the International Association for Falconry 1978 Charles de Ganay France in North America. and Conservation of Birds of Prey www.iaf.org. Edited by Janusz Sielicki (Poland) and Gary Timbrell (Ireland). © IAF 1984 Christian de Coune Belgium Disclaimer: The contents of this brochure are covered by copyright laws and may not be reproduced by any 1998 Ferrante Pratesi Italy The United Arab Emirates leads the world in raptor conservation projects, means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise wih out the prior written permission. The opinions 2000 Patrick Morel Belgium expressed are not necesarrily those of the IAF or its officers and IAF accepts no responsibility or liability research and funding in many countries. for them. It is responsibility of the contributor to get permission to reproduce photographs. 2006 Frank Bond USA Falconer-led conservation projects exist all over the world. CONSERVATION OF BIRDS OF PREY AS IT BEGAN EDUCATION FOR CONSERVATION REHABILITATION FOR CONSERVATION The oldest records of conservation decisions Conservation is not just the projects where post-grad Falconers run many birds of prey rehabilitation centres and measures are of hunting and falconry origin. students count raptors in remote regions; it is also about and hospitals all over the world. In 1228 Frederic II, Holy Roman Emperor’s teaching ordinary people and changing attitudes and be- One of the most used conservation techniques is hac- passion for falconry became part of a project haviour. All falconers have daily contact with members king, used by falconers to strengthen young birds musc- on ornithology and he wrote a book De Arte of the public with whom they interact: farmers, farm les before starting training them. Falconry techniques Venandi cum Avibus. He answered many labourers, pigeon fanciers etc., all have an impact on rap- ensure birds released can hunt for themselves and survi- ornithological questions and implemented a tors, prey species and environment. ve to breed – both in reintroduction and rehabilitation systematic approach to natural sciences ba- Whether in a traditional setting or in modern schools, projects. sed on actual experiment. That was one of falconry educates and encourages an interest in and an The Japan Falconiformes Centre is a falconer led specialised facility for rehabilitation the first ornithological books ever. His achie- understanding of nature. and release. For those of us condemned to live in an urban setting, vements were great and they exercised a lasting influence on science and conservation. Rescue Assessment Repair handling a bird of prey or watching one in flight at close Falconry was responsible for the earliest legislation protecting raptors; there are re- quarters is an inspiration. ferences in the ninth century Irish Brehon Laws detailing penalties appropriate for Almost every falconer nest-robbing. In Poland from the does some educational XIIth Century, it was forbidden to cut activities such as school talks. Most of the work done by down trees with peregrine nests, the falconers receives and requires no donor funding. chicks belonged to the sovereigns and Educating young people leads to public awareness, not the villagers were obliged to protect to learn and continue thousands of years of a sustainable tradition. only in their generation, but they in turn educate their In Mongolia a Kazakh takes a young eagle from its eyrie, trains and hunts with it for them. The XIVth century Eleanor parents and those around them. Convalescence/ Release two years. He then releases it because it is old enough to breed. This is an understanding d’Arborea, Queen of Sardinia was so Involvement of young people with falconry trained Retraining protective of hawks and falcons that a birds in New Zealand is important because here human of “environmentalism” predating all other “isms”. species was named in her honour Falco eleanorae, Eleanor’s falcon. The first recorded persecution of falcons and hawks remains the biggest The UAE, leader of raptors conservation in the region, has taken a number of actions ringing and releasing of birds to gather information on their movements was by the Loo threat. Wingspan is a New Zealand falconer-founded to achieve its conservation objectives: Hawking Club in Holland in the early 1800s. Herons that they caught were released falconry and conservation organisation. Its most recent • Captive breeding centres for falcons with engraved silver bands. Information on recaptures was recorded. success was campaign to have the karearea, the New Ze- • A passport system launched in the UAE to reduce the illegal trade in falcons aland falcon, win an internet competition for the New Zealand Bird of the Year 2012. • The Sheikh Zayed Falcon Release Project returning thousands falcons to the wild at Here a Spanish falconer hand-rears a Bonelli’s eagle for a high-profile reintroduction FALCONERS ROLE IN MODERN CONSERVATION In Kenya falconers have numbered less than half a dozen the end of the annual hunting seasons First known breeding of peregrines in captivity was by falconer Renz Waller in 1940’s project with extensive media coverage. individuals at any one time over the last 60 years.